This recipe for Gluten Mandelbread is from my mom’s friend Martha (who’s 95!). She got it from her aunt, making the original recipe from around 1900.
Mandelbread
Of course, it wasn’t originally gluten free. It’s one of those word-of-mouth recipes, that someone eventually scribbled down. Martha changed it…My mom has changed it, as everyone who inherits a recipe does. Since I’ve convinced her to try going gluten-free, Mom’s begun adapting her favorite recipes using the gluten-free flour mixture. (this post contains affiliate links)
She apologized…”I don’t know how much of the chips I add. You know, just a handful of each…until it looks right.” In any case, she was excited for me to try the recreated recipe, and we both agreed, no one would be able to tell the difference between her version and one using regular flour.
Martha’s Aunt’s Mandelbread. (Gluten free version)
Mandelbread, or Mandelbrodt is a traditional Jewish cookie, similar to Italian biscotti, and literally means “almond bread”. For this Mandlebread, we’ve substituted hazelnuts for the almonds, although you could certainly use almonds in place of the hazelnuts! It’s a very easy to make, you don’t even need a mixer! The butterbrickle, white chocolate, and butterscotch chips are my mom’s addition and aren’t really traditional, but they sure make a delicious cookie!. The nice thing about this recipe, is that you can use whatever combination of fruits and nuts you’d like!
Form the dough into two long logs, about 2″ wide, by 1″ tall. These are around 14″ long.
The above picture is for my Biscotti recipe. The method for making Mandelbread is the same.
Let the Mandelbread cool just a few minutes before slicing into 3/4″ to 1″ slices. (This is biscotti pictured)
Allow the Mandelbread to cool just enough to handle, then slice and return to the oven to finish baking.
Cut the cooled longs into slices about 3/4″ wide.
If you’re looking for more traditional Jewish dishes that are also gluten free, how about Rugelach or Latkes?
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups unbleached flour or gluten-free flour mix*
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup toasted hazelnuts chopped
- 2 handfuls chocolate chips
- 1 handful each butterbrickle chips, butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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Whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, orange juice and vanilla in a bowl.
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Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl.
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Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
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Fold in nuts and chips
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Form dough into a long rectangular loaf. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from oven and and allow to 3 to 4 minutes, then slice into 1" slices.
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Turn down oven to 300 degrees F.
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Put sliced bars on a silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet, cut side up, and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
I hope that you enjoy this not-so traditional recipe for Gluten Free Mandelbread!
Some of the items used in this post are available here at no additional cost to you.
Jill @ Teatime in Paris says
These are the best kind of recipes, passed down from generation to generation. Love the look of this, even although have no idea what butterbrickle or butterscotch chips are in Europe – they sound intriguing. Any ideas what I could use instead, Cynthia, to keep your recipe tasting the same? Sounds fabulous!
Cynthia says
Jill, I think English toffee chips would be a good substitute!
Jenna says
I love making biscotti at the holidays so am excited to learn about mandelbread. Sounds like the perfect holiday treat, and I like that you can customize it according to your likes or what you have on hand.
Cynthia says
That’s pretty what my mom did…take her friend’s recipe and then just add to it.
Belgian Foodie says
This mandelbread looks delicious. I’ll be trying it soon!
Cynthia says
thank you!
mindy says
what is the GF flour mix consist of? There is an asterisk next to the ingredient but it isn’t explained anywhere
Cynthia says
Hi Mindy, I recently changed my recipe plug-in and it must not have picked up the link. I link it to Jeanne’s Gluten Free Flour Blend on her website. (Here’s the link) I’ve also linked to a GF blend on Amazon at the bottom of the post.